This Ain't A 'Fair'ytale
by TheNewMissNoOne
Summary: Tina always hoped that some "knight in shining armor" would come and put her out of her misery. Her life was far from a fairytale, but she kept hoping. One shot.


Once upon a time, there was this beautiful girl named Tina. She lived in a huge house, but she could enjoy none of it—for her stepmother and stepsisters stripped her away of all riches and bossed her around. Tina had no choice but to follow, but she still kept hoping that someday, someone will find her and end her misery forever.

Tina was by the school building's side. She hid in the small alleyway where no one would find her. There were lots of people of course. And she doubted she was even _that_ hidden. They just took no note of her. Nobody did. She was invisible.

She was ready to burst into tears. She extended her arm out and closed her eyes. More tears fell. She pulled out her jacket sleeve and got ready. She was close...almost there…

"_TINA?"_

She gasped at the voice, pulled down her sleeve and looked to see that it came from her best friend Artie. He plastered a look of shock on his face. She immediately looked down, ashamed.

"Look at me, Tina." Artie said firmly. "Look at me."

Tina shook her head.

"God damn it, Tina, look at me!!"

She looked up, surprised to hear his curses.

"Come here." He extended his arms out in front of it. He saw the hesitance in her eyes.

Very slowly, after much contemplation, she stood up and walked towards him. She hugged him for a split second, then sat down on the floor and stared at her gloved hands.

"How long?" He asked.

_The first time she did it was when her father died. It was quite obvious that he was euthanized by her stepmother, but no one would believe her. She was treated like dirt after that. She wasn't even allowed to attend his funeral, so she had none to grieve about._

_She had no choice. She saw other people on TV do it. And she swore to herself she wouldn't do it. But now she actually knows _why_ those people did it. And now she wanted to do it too. But she didn't want to risk a lot. After all, she's sure her father wouldn't want her to do that. So she just cried on the sofa for a while, trying to balance her actions. Then she felt the urge to go to the bathroom to do her business._

_After she flushed the toilet, she looked at herself in the mirror—red eyes, messy hair and all—but what really caught her attention was the razor on the shelf below the mirror. Her eyes went wide. Involuntarily, she picked it up, took off the cap, washed some hairs out of it, and stared at it for a while. For a few minutes, she just stared. She was sure it would be painful. She didn't want to be risky._

_So she cut her fingertip. Just a tiny cut, yet the razor made two cuts parallel to each other in one swipe. She burst into a series of curse words she never thought she knew before. Sure it was just a tiny cut, but she never thought she would sink as low as this._

_She was unworthy and useless. And doing what she did only made her feel more so._

_Blood went out and she cried with the pain. She ran it over cold water, but touching stuff was a burden for the next few days, not to mention when she had to do laundry for her stepmother and two stepsisters Brittany and Santana._

_She felt some relief, though. As if opening her skin would create a hole for all the pain and suffering from inside to come out. But of course, as soon as they came out, they came back in. And then she had to do it again—and again, and again._

"I feel so ashamed, Artie," she cried and put her head in between her knees, unable to meet his eyes.

"Show me your arms."

"Artie, I don't think—"

"You have to understand that I'm trying to help you."

"O-okay."

Carefully, she rolled up her sleeves, showing faint pink scars all over the skin. She took off her gloves and more cuts on her fingertips and slashes on her palms were seen.

"Why are you doing this to yourself?"  
Tina shrugged. "I had to let it out _somehow_."

"Give me the blade."

Tina kept a firm grip on the blade on her left hand. "No."

"But I'm trying to help you."

"I don't _need_ your help, Artie! I don't need _anybody's_ help! Just leave me alone!" She stood up to run, but Artie grasped her arm and she stopped at his touch.

"You know you can't keep anything from me."

She sighed. He was right.

"Why do you care? You should've run away just like all the other friends I had when _they_ found out."

"I care because you're my friend—no, _best_ friend." He smiled at her softly. "And I believe that you _do_ need my help."

"I'm a freak."

"And I thought_ I_ was the one in the wheelchair." She chuckled.

She sighed again and handed him the blade. Artie looked stunned for a while, but took it.

They spent the rest of the afternoon talking to each other on that spot. He was the first one she'd ever opened up to. He was special to her.

And she never did it again.

-O-

"And did you see the way he looked at me today in Glee?" Tina sighed dreamily as she and Artie were walking home from school.

"No, I didn't." Artie answered truthfully.

"Well surely you must have! It was like he was seeing me for the first time…"

"But Tina, you oughta be careful. Puck's not really an ideal guy. He changes girls like he changes clothes!"

"Look, Artie, he may be a tough badass bad boy, but I know deep inside that he really is a sweet guy."

"Maybe you're right, Tee. I'm just looking out for you is all…" Artie drifted off silently, trying to keep his overflowing jealousy in control.

"I appreciate that you care so much about me, really I do." She smiled and stepped in front of him. "But I've changed. I'm not the young, naïve, and foolish person who slashes her wrists that you've met a year ago. I can watch out for myself now."

Artie felt hot all of a sudden. "Yo—you're right, Tina. I was out of the line. I'm sorry."  
Tina gasped. "Artie, I didn't mean to—"

"_TINA!!!!! GET OVER HERE AND MAKE ME DINNER!!!_"

"Oops, that's Santana calling. I'll see you tomorrow." Then, before he could blink, she bent down, kissed his cheek, and left.

Artie rubbed the spot her lips had touched his skin and smiled goofily.

_If I can't have her, I guess I'll just have to make the best of it._

-O-

_This is the day,_ Artie thought, _Why am I feeling so nervous?_

The school was having a dance. And he was gonna ask Tina to be his date.

"Hi, Tina!" He greeted her as she came out of her last class. She had a big smile on her face.

"Hey, Artie," she smiled even wider.

"Um, I was wondering if—"

"Hold that thought, Art. PUCK JUST ASKED ME TO THE DANCE! AAAAAH!!!"

"Aaaaaahhhhh…." He tried to scream like her to mock her, but it ended up sounding like a heavy sigh.

"Something wrong, Artie?"

"No-nothing. It's cool."

"What did you have to tell me?"

"That I'm not going to the dance."

"You what??!! But you _have_ to go! Why won't you go?"

"No date, no legs, no dancing. Does that explain it all to you?"

"Ohh…" Tina wasn't sure why, but she suddenly felt disappointed.

Artie pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "You have fun, though. Congratulations on getting a date with Puck." He smiled at her and rolled away, going home and trying hard to control his jealousy and dejected feelings.

As he was rolling away, he passed by Puck talking to some of the other football jocks.

"Dude, do you realize how bad your reputation is going to be if you date that loser?" One of them asked.

"Yeah, man, that's not cool. You're wasting away you whole future. You're a stud, dude. Don't forget who you are."

"Look, I know who I am!" Puck said. "But you don't realize one thing. Tina may be a loser, but her stepsisters are two of the hottest cheerleaders in school."

"So? Why not go after them?"

"That's the point! Santana just cut things off with us and dating her sister—who happens to be much more uglier and a loser than she is—would make her realize how much she wants me. And pretty soon, she'll be eating out of the palm of my hand! It's genius!"

The other guys shook their heads, clapped his shoulders, and walked off. Puck looked like he wanted to punch someone, so Artie rolled away before he could get a black eye.

_I have to tell Tina!_ He thought. But Tina loves Puck, why would she believe him? After all, he's _just_ the best friend. He's _just_ a guy in the wheelchair. He's _just _someone in the sidelines, desperately waiting for the girl he knew he could never have.

-O-

"What's this?" Brittany asked, pointing to the food on her plate.

"Uhm, that's a steak, Brittany." Tina answered, rolling her eyes.

"But do you know how many calories there are in this thing?"

"And it's overcooked. The burnt parts could cause cancer." Santana continued.

"What're you talking about? I cooked that steak perfectly fine!"

Brittany and Santana both raised their plates. Tina looked furious. But the look in her stepmother's eyes said _Do it or die_. So she took the plates and threw them to the trash.

"What do you like to have then?"

"Something that won't make me fat." Brittany said, eyebrow raised.

"Yes, we want to look absolutely _perfect_ for the school dance." Santana remarked.

"Wow! The school dance! How exciting!" their mother clapped her hands. "Have you got dates yet?"

"I'm dating Mike."

"And I'm dating Matt."

Tina served them the store-bought salads from yesterday's trip.

Santana recoiled. "Um, eww. It looks like crap. Make me something fresh."

Tina sighed heavily and took their plates again.

"So anyways," Santana continued, "I'd like a new dress—preferably strapless. Yes, that would look amazing on me. And Tina, you will do my hair in a wavy position with a braid in the middle—oh! And put lots of hairspray."

"Sorry Santana, but I _too_ would have to get ready." Tina said smugly.

"What?!" The two cheerleaders chimed.

"In case you haven't noticed, going to the dance without a date and without friends would make you seem more like a loser." Santana said.

"But I _do_ have a date."

"What?!" they said again, "Who?"

"Puck." She answered casually.

"P-p-p-puck?!" Santana fainted.

Brittany and her mother gasped.

Tina shrugged. "Hang on, casserole's almost ready," she said for a bit of a laugh.

Her stepmother marched towards her and pulled her ear to drag her to the attic—_ehem_—her room.

Once inside, she was pushed to the floor.

"You are not going to that dance, you hear me?"

"You can't make me!"

"Yes I can! Just watch me." She narrowed her eyes and shut the door.

Tina heard the click of the lock and she stood in front of her closet.

She opened it and looked at the outfits.

All the clothes in there were her usual—black, boring, and gothic.

She sighed.

Until…

She saw, in the back of her closet, an old dress from her mom.

It was pink, had cuffs on the shoulders, and floor-length. A pair of strappy black high heels was also next to the dress.

It wasn't something she would like to wear, but it was all she had. And it made her happy.

_Wait till Artie sees this!_

And then she remembered he wasn't going.

She fell to her bed, face first with an 'oof' and a miserable sigh, and fell asleep that way.

-O-

Two hours before the dance, Tina was really excited. She finished all her chores and Brittany and Santana's hairs and was going to her room to get ready.

She opened her small closet and pulled out her dress. She gasped.

_Oh no, no, no!_

Tears formed in her eyes as she looked at the now torn up and dirty dress that looked more like a dishrag now.

_Now I'm never going to be able to make it!_

She cursed the only one she thought who did it.

"Buh-bye, Tina!" Brittany mocked her as she stepped inside the limousine.

"Don't worry, darling, _I'll _tell Puck why you couldn't go." Santana smiled devilishly and the limousine drove off.

"TINA!"

"Oh!"

Her stepmother approached her with a smug look on her face.

"I'm going to a friend's party tonight. I don't want _any_ funny business while I'm gone, understood?"

"Yes, stepmother." She lowered her head sadly.

"When I come back at 10 o' clock, this house should be in one piece or I will saw you in half!"

And she stepped inside the other limousine and drove off.

Tina sighed.

She went back inside the house desolately. The phone rang. She ran over to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Yo, Tina, you need a ride for the dance?" Tina smiled as she recognized Mercedes's voice, "Kurt and I would be happy to pick you up." She smiled even wider. Kurt and Mercedes were her friends (not as close as Artie though) ever since all of them joined the glee club.

"I appreciate the offer, guys, but I can't go."

"What? I thought you were going with Puck?"

"_If you ask me, she should've gone with Artie."_ She heard Kurt's voice in the phone.

"Shut up, Kurt! She can hear you!"

"Uhm…no. My stepmother trashed my dressed so I can't. You guys have fun though. Maybe I can call Artie and we could—"

"_NO!_" They both said.

"I mean," Mercedes continued, less alarmed, "We could stop by there and give you a dress good as new!"

Tina's face brightened.

"Really?! Oh my gosh, I owe you big time!"

"It's no problem at all, Tee."

-O-

"Good call, M," Kurt told Mercedes as she hung up the phone.

"Kurt, next time we talk to Tina, can you please keep your mouth shut?"

"I was telling the truth." Kurt looked to his left, "She really should have gone with you."

"But she doesn't like me. At all. I'll only come to the dance to tell her about Puck and that's it." Artie pushed his glasses from the bridge of his nose. The black tux he was wearing made him look different. He kept the suspenders hidden beneath the jacket, though, so at least he didn't _feel_ different.

"No time to talk. We need to find her a dress—_pronto_! It's a good thing I have a little sister. I'm pretty sure she won't mind if Tina borrows one of hers." Mercedes cut in.

She grabbed a nice black, strapless, knee-length dress and burst out of her house and to Tina's.

-O-

"Guys, I can't tell you how thankful I am for this." Tina smiled at her two friends.

"It's no trouble at all, hun," Kurt waved a hand.

"We gotta hurry. The dance starts in twenty!"

They all rushed to the car.

Tina sat in the backseat and was surprised to see someone sitting there.

"Artie?!"

"Uh, hi, Tee, you look beautiful." He said sheepishly. Tina blushed and climbed next to him.

"I thought you weren't going to the dance?" she asked him.

"Oh, uh, I just came to…uhh…warn you about…something."

"Huh? Artie, I told you, I can take care of myself."

"B-but I know…something…that you…don't."

"What's with the heavy breathing?"

"Puck's using you." He blurted out in a rush.

"Puck's what?"

They were silent for a few seconds, Tina's fists clenching every once in a while.

"He's not. He likes me. He said so himself,"

"He's lying to you to get into Santana's pants."

"Puck's not that kind of guy…"

Artie gave her a look.

"Fine, so maybe he is. But he said he doesn't have to if he's dating me."

"I overheard him talking…to the other jocks about it,"

"You don't understand, do you?"

"I understand, Tee—"

"No, you don't!"

They were silent for the rest of the ride.

When they got off the car and Artie in his chair, Artie and Tina walked/rolled side by side.

"You're wrong." She muttered.

"About what?"

"Puck can't do this to me. You don't understand that…that I'm in a fairytale,"

"Tina, just because you happen to have Cinderella's family history doesn't mean—"

"No, it's more than that."

They've stopped moving now.

"All my life I've been wanting some kind of Prince Charming to come into my life and end my misery—kind of like that afternoon you saw me slashing my wrists."

They both flinched at the memory.

"I ruined it for you, didn't I?" Artie said quietly.

Tina, with tears in her eyes, nodded.

He reached over to take her hand. She didn't pull away, but he only squeezed it, then headed for the school doors before her.

After a few more seconds, she goes inside, too.

She sees Puck and headed towards him. He wrapped his arm around her and smiled.

"Tina! Santana told me you couldn't come."

"Well, I did, so here I am."

"Would you like to dance?"

He took Tina's hand and led her towards the dance floor. They dance gracefully. It was like their feet were gliding off the floor. Tina looked so happy. Artie could only stare sadly, like some lovesick puppy dog, and kept on contemplating the fact that he could never dance with Tina like that. Never.

"You did your best," Kurt sighed sadly, putting a hand on Artie's shoulder.

"Why the long face?" He asked.

"You're not the only one who's alone tonight."

Artie noticed the way his eyes danced over to where Finn was dancing with Quinn.

"Yeah, you're right."

"Yours is easier, you know? My gender keeps me locked up and imprisoned from my freedom called true love."

"My chair keeps me locked and imprisoned from _my_ freedom."

"And since when is _that_ an excuse?"

"I had my chance, Kurt. And I blew it. She'll never be able to forgive me now."

"You know what? I'll just come out and say it. You're chicken. It's obvious that Tina likes you. She's just confused. So are you gonna wait till Puck hurts her feelings? Girlfriend or not, she's still your best friend."

"I wish I can help, but what can I—"

"Ooh, punch!" Kurt walked off.

"—do? Eurgh, Kurt. Just…EURGH!" He rolled away in agitation.

Tina was happy, dancing with Puck. But she couldn't help feeling that maybe being happy wasn't enough. Or maybe she _wasn't_ happy. Or maybe she was with the wrong guy…

_That's not true! I like Puck! And I like what's happening now! I like it!_

"Can we rest for a while?" she asked him.

"Sure, babe," he flashed her an almost cocky smile and they sat down.

"I'm going to get a drink—"

"I'll do it." He said.

Twenty minutes later, he still wasn't back. Tina was getting fidgety.

_You're overreacting, Tina. There's nothing unusual with taking twenty minutes to get punch, right?_

She stood up to find out.

She went to the punch bowl and saw Kurt helping himself to some punch.

"Hey, Kurt, have you seen Puck?"

"Oh! Um, Tina," he pointed at something behind her with a sad look on his face. "I'm sorry."

"What're you apologizing for?" She looked behind and saw Puck and Santana sucking each other's faces off.

She didn't understand the feeling she got.

"Artie's right, Tina. He was only looking out for you is all."

"I feel terrible."

"I know it hurts seeing your guy with—"

"Not about that." She faced him with a sad look in her eyes, "Artie only cares for me. And I was mean to him. I feel terrible, Kurt, I really do." She cried on his shoulder for a few minutes.

"Honey, not that it's a bad thing, but you really should get off my shoulder. I don't want mascara stains all over my brand new Ralph Lauren. You need to be strong, girl! Artie's over there! Go get him!"

"Thanks, Kurt, And sorry." Kurt nodded and she ran to Artie.

"Artie! I have to tell you something!" Artie looked at her way with a shocked expression.

"I—"

"_Okay, everyone! It's 10 o' clock and you know what that means! Slow dance time!"_ The DJ sounded into the microphone.

Tina was astounded. Was the time really that fast? Her stepmother would be home any second now!

She ran fast, straight out the building and ran the rest of her way home.

Really, it wasn't that far.

Luckily, there was a mild traffic jam two blocks away from her house, delaying her stepmother. It gave her time to change clothes.

She then realized that she was missing a shoe.

-O-

Back at the school, Artie was puzzled. Then he found something on the floor. He rolled over to pick it up.

It was a black shoe.

Tina's black shoe.

Artie almost laughed at the irony of things, had the circumstances been different.

"Gasp! You got her shoe! Go get her, Artie!" Kurt said enthusiastically.

Artie looked firm. "I will, Kurt, I will. Don't worry." He smiled.

Kurt walked away to go to Mercedes.

"Why hello, Cinderella," Puck's voice came, "Give me that shoe, dead legs."

"Why should I?"

"I know how hard she falls for fairytales. And when I hand in her shoe, she'll think I'm irresistible." He smiled mischievously.

"Shut up, Puck. She's way too good for you. She deserves someone better."

"What, and you think cripple boy can give her that?"

Artie looked down, a bit embarrassed. Puck was right. He may be a badass player, but even _that_ is much better than a dorky nerd in a wheelchair.

Puck grabbed the shoe from him. It slipped too easily from his hands. He did nothing to stop him.

-O-

The next day at school, Mercedes walked over to Tina.

"How was the dance?" She smiled at her.

"I lost my shoe."

"Relax, Cinderella, Kurt says Artie's got it."

"Artie has my shoe?!"

"Yes. Ironic, isn't it?"

"Very. But let's say that I _am_ Cinderella. If Artie gives me the shoe, then that means he's…"

Mercedes gave her a knowing smile.

Tina drifted off.

And that was when she realized who her _real_ Knight in Shining Armor was. He was all along.

-O-

"Hey, Tina!" Puck called her.

"What do you want, _Noah_?"

"First of all, babe, _don't_ call me that." He stepped closer to her, "Also, I got you this."

And from his backpack, he brought out her shoe.

Tina could only stare at him, mouth agape.

"Y-you got my shoe?"

"Yeah. Pretty fairytale-ish, don't you think? I guess we do make a good cou—"

Tina punched him in the face. Hard.

Her face was twisted with fury as she ran off.

_It wasn't Artie. It was Puck. So Artie didn't care? Why should he? After the way I treated him, he's never gonna forgive me. Stupid life, stupid boys…Damn that dance, damn that shoe!_

She broke down and cried in the side of the school's building. She rummaged through her backpack until she found what she was looking for.

A pair of scissors.

The shiny blades twinkled in the sunlight, making it even more tempting than it already was. She kept crying as she pressed it to her wrist. As she was about to press harder…

"Tina, NO!"

She gasped and looked towards the voice. It was Artie's.

_Déjà vu._

"Sorry! I was just…testing how sharp my scissors were!"

Artie gave her a knowing look.

Tina dropped both of her arms. She threw the scissors into the bunch of trees behind the school. She sighed.

"Heard Puck got your shoe."

"Huh? Yeah."

"Guess you got your fairytale happy ending now, huh?"

"It looks like it." She muttered sarcastically. Artie mentally smacked his head.

"I don't like Puck." She admitted after a few moments of silence. "I never did."

"Then what was all those about—"

"It's just a silly little fan girl crush." She sighed, "I wanted so much to be noticed after all this time of misery I'm experiencing, and I thought Puck would give me that." She looked him right in the eye, "I just failed to see that it was you all along."

"M-m-me?!" He felt his face grow hot. Tina chuckled a bit.

"But I've been mean to you. I just hope that you can forgive me and forget all this happened. You can go on pretending as if you don't know me—the girl who's being treated like a maid by her own family, who slashes her wrists, and has no friends and reputation at all—and I won't stop you." Tears are now straining down her cheeks.

"Tina, I don't understand…Are you—are you saying goodbye?"

"I just can't see you without feeling ashamed of myself. You don't deserve me. You're rich and you have a good future ahead of you. You shouldn't be friends with _me_."

"Tina, look at me."

And she did. He looked heartbroken.

"You're the only one that understands me. Not once did you ask about my chair nor pitied me for it. You're a lot more wonderful than how you think you are. And I fell in love with you ever since you opened up to me about your feelings and why you're harming yourself. And I get why you're so nice to me—because we're both outcasts."

He held her hand and used his free hand to wipe the tears from her cheeks. She's sat down on the floor already.

"Does this mean that we're _not_ falling out?"

"Of course not."

"Oh good!" She hugged the life out of him. "I really like you, Artie."

He pulled her face to level with his and they shared a sweet and passionate kiss.

-O-

_Epilogue_

This twisted version of Cinderella ended with Tina moving to live with Artie's family. She was quite shy at first, but his parents understood her condition and welcomed her with open arms. The spare room has been loaded with her stuff, yet sometimes she sneaks into Artie's room to sleep next to him. And he would wake up, surprised to see a cute girl cradled in his arms. And he smiled every single time.

The stepmother and stepsisters turned out fine, but they were lost without someone to boss around, so now Brittany and Santana did the chores—not doing a very good job at it either. The stepmother would be mad at them for messing up, but they never did get better. It was a lose-lose situation. They could only shoot Tina dirty looks when they spot her at school.

The glee club won Nationals because of Artie and Tina's duet. They couldn't be happier.

So now I guess it's safe to say that they lived happily ever after.

* * *

Reviews would be nice too, please. I made all this at 3am so I'm sorry if it's a little off. Thanks for reading!


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